Repeating safety razor



R. G. AREY 2,610,394

REPEATING SAFETY RAZOR Sept. 16, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed March 26, 1948 '5 Sept. 16, 1952 R. G. AREY 2,610,394

REPEATING SAFETY RAZOR Filed March 26, 1948 z.srmE'rs-srmm 2 Patented Septrl, 1952 UNITED STATES. P.!.3i 'l".l51NT,vv OFFICE REPEATING 'sAFE'rYf'nAzoit Ralph,.(x. y Arcy, Brockton, Mass. Application Marcl1`f26, 1948; vSerial No.ilgl* present i invention relates generallyf to safty-'razors, and morel particularly to a-A novel .Y and limproved cor'is'truction"Y of repeatingtypef razor 'including a unique blade Yassembly for'as-Y socia'tion therewith; y

VThe primeobj ect of my lpresent vinvention per'- tainslto a repeatingtype safetyl razor lhaving'av novel head portionv so yarranged landconstructed" that" a' multi-blade-carrying blank'A or blade as'- sembly may `be'inserted, housed, and protected therein, that each bladeJ carriedf'b'yvl said blankmaybe `successively advanced into shavingrposition; thatv veach used `blade may'b'e individually detachable;v and thatf a subsequentblankmay be t installed without..disassemblingjor 'disturbingany" part'of therazorfhead.`

Anotliermain feature of my invention is" the provision-.ofa novel operatingspring slide" which is'movably connectedwith"thehead portion' and;H adapted; thru cooperative?means'thereon"on ther razor'liead ,and on the blade-carryingjblank',,to feed each blade into positiveA shaving' position,

have devisedanovel and eilicientmethodofloadi-` "blades-'in protectedattachmentwith the carrier into the headreceiving, holding,y feeding; and

.locking devices. Thus mypresent nventionand method consistsin wrappingforfenclosing a; set

and to lock the blade automatically whengso` moved; allwith. a singlezrnotion.v and byia" simple arideflcient-` construction.v

A". further important ob'ect voffjrny invention... resides inthe novelbladeassembly, which,..in. effct,' constitutes a. multiblade-.carrying .blank wherein a predetermined` number.- ofv` relatively narrow 'thin blades in adj acent`,but .spaced rela. Y tion to veachother are assembled, by spot ,welding or. other suitable means, `on' a` carryingelementi, said carrying telement, being .positionedonthe top or. the upper side of` the. blades,- thus reinforcing thethin-blades as well1as.xaffordingbladefcutting. edge protection... An. additional,` advantageous -feature consists in the...blade assembly of the plurality-of thin blades attached to land supported '.by the carry-Y ing element.with the blades..- attached thereto. on

arefsol constructed. and' arranged' 15o-necessitate thedetachmentofthefusedfbladev in ca; directi'onff aWayf-fr'omthe*` succeeding` blade, thus -efiecti-` uallyfpreserving thefcuttingedge for-shaving usea,y

Aaimost ,important and' further.` feature x and advantage of jmy present "construction is.. that. I.

40 one side in spaced-relation and with pre-formed l orseries ofblades on acarrier; such vfor lexample as seven bladesfone'frfeach dayof-'the week,

on one carrier, packaging-the `samein a1proteotive envelope-orf covering; which'l envelope lcanl be partiall`y= opened and.'v thereupon the. blade asH sembly 'tted' to Land 'loaded into 'the'-head, which process'f and assembling7 of"the-carrier"and' its attached blades is effectedwliile still held in protective wrapping so' thatjthe yusers hands 1 or hgers neverW contact theY .blades'i during such loading action-into `therra'zor head; thus prevent-- ing danger of cutting the fingers or desterlizing v the-blades themselves. Thus; the cutting edge of each blade. is protected' andy unexposedv until moved into shaving-position; theicutting edges beingprotected rfrom injury, nicking, `contamination, being maintained in a hygienic state', .un--v touchedbyhuma'n handsiromth'e `manufacture to the" actual shaving Aaction2 Also, another important and advantageous feature Ais that my present .construction permits the manufacture of suchbextremelyj: thin *blades* and .the'unitingof same to''a' carrier to support andreinforce thezblades;y and-the packaging of the same may be accompli'shed'vasal continuous.

automatic operation ata high speedand'low cost by relatively/simple1 and feicientequpment.

Long lengthsoff-the:carrier.can.thus be utilized toAv receivesuccessivei blades in spaced relation, which arexspot-'welded toithe'carrierand run 01T in` conveyorlengths toibefsubsequently severed intora selective number; such` as fseven blades on lay carrier'section; givingiaifreshbladeffr each day' of the weelein'theuntl'or' blade: assembly, which is theni` packaged. and subsequently assembled.

when". desired: into. the; razor,"'hea'df` as?. above rexplained. Thefrblades:can'.beY treatedwith a pro--r tecting lmtandfthusipreserved .by 'the packaging" so that each blade is tted in the razor head" andzmovedrin. the shavngposition in` its best possible iand original condition for sl'iarpn'ess` and: ,eiiiciencyn Astillzfurth'er object `of"my-invention is to constructza .safetyrazoro the-repeating type,

which, in addition, includes such desirable fea-- tures of the'wellknown.separate blader-type of' safety `razorfas'handy and convenient size, thin-- ness of head construction, lightness of weight, and easy cleanability.

Still further features of my invention apply to the extreme simplicity of my repeating safety razor, the ease and efficiency of its operation, its relatively low cost of manufacture, and with a single moving element which serves to protect, to` hold, to feed, and to lock the carrier and blades.

Also my invention provides for the wrapping or packaging of ai considerable number of blades in a single wrapping, such for example seven blades and the attached carrier, all enclosed in a single envelope or wrapping and this multiplicity or plurality of blades is positioned simultaneously in the razor head by a single loadin operation.

Further advantageous features, novelties, combinations, and pertinent details will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings showing a preferred embodiment of my present invention and the novel method of uniting or loading the blade assembly into the razor:

Fig. 1 isa side'view of my present device;

Fig. 2 `is al1-enlarged -cross-sectional View of the'head and the. blade assembly tted therein, on the line 2 2 of Fig. 5; 1 Y

Fig. 3 is a similar cross-sectional View illustrating the movable element in a retracted position prepared to feed forward the carrier and a new blade, on the line 3--3` of Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 is a similar cross-sectional view with the feeding element in forward position and a used blade positioned or adapted to be detached;

Fig.k5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 isv an enlarged cross-sectional detailed view illustrating the assembly of carrier and blade with thelines of detachment for sections of the carrier;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the head of the carrier with the feeding element in retracted position;

Fig. 8 is a' side view of the same;

Fig, 9 is a view of one method of packaging the blade assembly; Y

Fig. 10 is a side view illustrating the rloading operation with the bladeassembled in the package of Fig. 9. v

Figs. 11 and 12 show modified forms of packaging the blade assembly, and

Fig. 13 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the carrier and seven blades welded thereto with the blades in uppermost position.

Referring to the drawings, my novel and improved razor comprises two parts, a fixed element and a movable element, which are at all times in united and assembled relation and in position to receive and intermittently feed forwardlyV the carrier and its attached blades a proper distance to bringsuccessive blades into operative relation and permit detachment of a used blade. The xed'part comprises a basev I, handle 2, and a uniting gooseneck 3, which latter is preferably provided with a ferrule 4 covering the adjacent end ofthe handle 2 and a disc 5 velded or otherwise secured to the bottom of the ase I.

The handle may be of any suitable material such as plastic, and the gooseneckand base are preferably of metal, the gooseneck giving a desirable and convenient angle between the handle and the razor, said gooseneck extending beyond the ferrule and into the handle 2 or united in any other desirable manner. appropriate width and area to receive a carrier The base I is of with a plurality of blades attached thereto, viz., seven as shown in Fig. l, and is formed with a curved guard I Il at the shaving end, viz., the right viewing Figs. l to 4, said base I having side flanges I2 and It extending upwardly at substantially right angles to the base I, each flange having a slightly inturned upper ridge I5-I5 for added strength and smoothness in sliding the razor along Vthe skin of the user.V Each flange I2 and I4 is formed with an inner 'cam surface I6 ending in a rearwardly formed hook I 8, which cam surfaces and hooks in the side fiange constitute bearings and a spring-loading action as well as a stop to limit the extent of movement of the movable member, which latter I designate generally at Eiland is formed with a top plate 2|,

Yand a bottom plate 22, the same being of springr metal and 0f U -shaped form.

The width of the top plate 2I is suflicient to constitute a sliding fit between the inner surfaces of the side fianges I2, and the forward edge ofthe topf plate 2I has a' pair of laterally extending prongs 25-25, which prongs fit into the cam paths I6, the U-shaped form of the movable member 23 forcing the top plate and these Vprojections into spring-pressed engagement with the cam surface-and the hooks I8- at one end of the cam surface and the curve I9 at the forward end of said cam surface constitute stops limiting the forward and back movement of the member 20. l Y.

Each side flange is cut away below the cam surface and hook, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 andB, and -leaving a slightly upturned edge I3 Which'constitutes side guides for the bottom plate 22 of the movable member 2i).V These side flanges I2 also are inclined at a predetermined contour from the ridge I5 downwardly to the curved guard I0, as indicated at 28, see

Figs. 2 and 3, thus facilitating the presentation of the cutting edge of the blade in cooperation with the curved guard-I 0 to facilitate the shaving operation.

The-spring action on the top surfacel I .caused by the riding of the projections 25 in the cam grooves is further effected byv yapairof projectionsV29-29 on the bottom portion A22 of the movable member, which projections ride upon a slight .cut-.away .portion of the bottom member I3 of `each side flange I2, which cut-away portionY also `constitutes a: stop for the forward movementrof the member 20 in addition to or independently ofthe terminus of the cam path I6, as shown at I9, and already described.V

In order to facilitate thefeeding of the carrier and its attached blank to the razor head, comprising the base I and movable member 20, the rearmost end of the base I is curvedas vshown at I I substantially corresponding to the curved guard portion I0 at the opposite end, and I- arrange the movable member 20 when in retracted position to be Vslightly overhanging this curvedl member I 0 and thus provide a convenient throat into which the carrierand its attached blades may be applied when the razor is being 4loaded for use. Y i

In order to aord a step-by-step Vfeeding and locking action, I arrange the carrier 30 witha series of blades 33 attached thereto transversely, each with its shaving edge 34 facing in the'same direction and preferably welded to the carrier by points as indicated at 35, said carrier having a series of holes or openings 36-36 along each side edge portion, which will leave spaces between the adjacent blades, as clearly shown in Fig. 13'.

Cooperating and in alignment withy and blades are held by the lower projectionslil wnenzthefzcarner auml-,s1 attacnexbiadesf; 10-

are iittedi ini :the: razor., andfzwithii the carrier on a thefitopmostzwsurface in 1.contactewithythee'lower pertionfZ 2ffof;the:movable; memberiandwforced forwardl lifting-: the front.- .edgefpor-t-omoffitlief lower-.fplatefaZ2;;itvthereun0nsnapsrth'errearmc'stf 15 lugf Slgnto :engagement vw-itlirnthefopenins-.Si Seatf the back of the rearmost edgeffof'etheadjacent. blade2i'. A iorwardlmovement of the member 2li thereupon feeds the carrier and blades forwardly sufliciently to belengagedby theisecond pair of lugs 38, and .to thereuponfpositionthe.first razor blade in shaving relation to theguardlli;

I preferably form a series of openings, here shown as threeinnumber-; designated at t at each sideof the base I in; alignment witlrthesey 25 lugs 3 sandfi, whichv wil-lthusgstillffurthenserve tosnapi-into 'holding `position'fin; the openings r3 6 imtheparrier. In order to holdfthe carrier; and blades: from#v being V retracted@ during retractive movement/:fof the memberY 2,0, I-stamp upwardly fijom'thefbase. I a set of projectingsjlugs 4I: andfki whichareasuflicient to en-gagebehind the'fspac'ed blades and prevent the carrier attached thereto from being retracted during the retraction or rearward movement of the member 26. As the 5 movable member 29 is pushed forwardly or to the right, viewing Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, the tension on the bottom layer is increased owing to the traversing of the cam paths I6 by the projections on the upper plate 2l, and thus the forward 40 edge of the lower plate 22 exerts an increased tension on the carrier and blades as the same is moved adjacent the guard It; thereby more firmly locking the carrier and its foremost and exposed blade 33 into shaving position.

After this blade has been used, Vthe member 20 is retracted and again moved forwardly, the projections 38 and 39 riding upwardly over and backwardly on the top of the carrier between the openings 34 along each edge while the carrier and 42, and thereupon a succeeding forward motion of the member 2i) permits the projections 38 and 39 to snap into the openings in the carrier and feed forwardly the entire carrier and its blades, presenting a succeeding blade 33 into shaving position.

It is now desirable to detach the used blade and the portion of its carrier to which the blade isy welded or united, and expose the new edge of the GO succeedingfblade in position for use. For this purpose I form weakened sections or perforations 45, see Fig. 6, along the carrier spaced somewhat back from the edge 34 of each blade so that the used blade and its attached portion of the carrier may be quickly and easily detached by bending up the same, as shown in Fig. 4, and thereby detaching it and presenting a new blade ready for use. By thus bending the used blade and attached carrier upwardly, the sharp edge of the succeeding blade is not marred, damaged, dulled, or affected While the previously used blade is removed. Y

As shown in Fig. 7, I may provideV a series of openings 44-44 in the curved end cf the guard j aerogene- Gr.- y Iewhich,willlpermititheirazor to beheld-:underza faucet; or dipped'a iniwaterfV to;` clean.the-:same-,; butf-thisfv is optional; and thetguard'; I I1.:mayffbei formed'.withfslcittedopenings i-fidesired.:

Figsx; .'iand 8 lare.-illustrativetiofi manner: ofassemblingfthe movable memberfZandzbasefI but; whene. 1 once thus vassembled'. the: twoz parts nee'd notzagainbenseparated and; hence, thereiisa n'off danger of: dropping; losing for. i misplacing'f the movable member fromzlth'eentire head;1

My novell method. of-loading the carrier f and its. attached.` blades". is :.illustratedinrFigi"10J5als1 though'. the carrierand blades' can.'y ofcourse,2be` fitted infbetween 'the U-shaped portion:.offtheimember; ZUian'dJth'e rearwardly curved edg-eI I 'off the.` base: i311 as; above explained However; I in :i ordertov maintainith'e bladesA inh p'erfect condi?- tionl preferito enclosethe'fs'amein'fa .package or." wrapper. and.-.upon. partially openingiorfundoingf the.- package', the 'same may @ber utilized to .feed'l-l the carrier and blades' intoithe, headiwithoutf. touching` either vthe.` blades or 'carrier andA without'd'anger: of :injury either-tothe; user or-rto :the cutting edge of each blade, which is hereby` prol teetedz'until actually: fitted 'within the? headl'and ready to be: `fed fforwa'rdff. step-byestep,`v 'as -f above described; f I

Eorthis purpose, asI shown in Fig.r 9,- Ifmay package the. carrier; ffand itsfy attached-'blades intra 'folded sheet 5I) with' theV openends of tlief sheet .slitl into an envelope 5I. Thus'tl'ie` entireI seti? of 'blades isY enclosedv and protected byr'tlief package and ready for use.V By grasping the folded sheet and its enclosed carrier and blades, the user withdraws the same from the envelope 5I and presents the open end to the throat between the U -shaped portion of the member 2D and the curved end I I, as shown in Fig. 10. The sides of the paper envelope 50 will be easily deflected, as illustrated, and the carrier forced inwardly, lifting the lower plate 22 until the carrier is engaged by the first lug 39; whereupon continued movement of both lug and member ZIJ will be eiected to bring the lugs I2 into engaging position; and thereupon successive reciprocations of the member 20 Will serve to feed the carrier and blades step-by-step forward, as above eX- plained. l

As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, a modified form of wrapping comprising a sheet in which the entire series of blades and attached carrier are folded is illustrated at Fig. l2, the Wrapping 55 being partially opened by lifting the ap 56 or 5l and thereafter loading the head by a similar movement to that described in connection with the showing of Figs. 9 and 10.

I believe that a razor having means for receiving a plurality of thus wrapped blades and simultaneously feeding the same into shaving position without detaching the wrapping until the blades are fed into operative association with the razor head or structure is a distinct novelty and is one of the features I Wish to claim broadly herein.

I claim: f

l. In a razor of. the kind described, a fixed element and a forwardly ,and backwardly rmovable element constructed and arranged to receive, hold, and feed a carrier having a plurality of blades secured thereto, means limiting the relative move,- ment between said xed and movable elements, and means automatically actuated to apply pressure on the carrier and blades at the forward end of a movement, and releasing said pressure on reverse movement.

thereto, means including a cam on the xed elementcooperating with a part of said movable element to automatically apply pressure on the carrier and blades at the forward end of the reciprocating movement, and releasing said pressure on reverse movement.

3. In a razor of the kind described, a xed element and a relatively movable element constructed and arranged to receive a carrier and blades, and feeding the same intermittently during the relative movement :between said elements, said relative movement being forwardly and backwardly, impositive locking means at the limit of the forward and backward movements, in combination with means effective to exert a holding pressure on the carrier and blades when in the forward locked position.

4. 'A razor of the kind described, comprising a head having a portion xed thereto and a reciprocating movable element longitudinally slidable therein, said fixed portion and movable element being constructed and arranged to provide a space to receive a package of detachable blades ltherebetween, cooperating means on said xed and movable elements to provide for an individual blade to be detached from said package during the forward movement of said sliding element, and means on said fixed element cooperating with said sliding element at its forward limit of move'Y ment to exert holding pressure on the next succeeding undetached blade.

5. In a razor of the kind described, a fixed' element adapted to carry a movable elementrelatively reciprocable therein, said fixed and movable elements being spaced to receive therebetween a plurality of blades attached together, cooperating means on said fixed and movable elements to simultaneously feed said plurality of blades and detach an individual blade therefrom during the forward movement of said reciprocating element, cam slots on said fixed element engaged by a portion of said movable element to exert a holding and locking pressure on an undetached blade at the forward limit of movement of saidv reciprocating element.

RALPH G. AREY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS record in the 

